Lighter locking mechanism



March l1, 1952 R. L. BURCHETT ETAL LIGHTER LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 26. .1949

VVV@ V REN I.

Patented Mar. 11, 1952 `UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Nissen, Newark, N. J., assignors" to Ronson Art Metall Works, Inc- Newark, N; J., a' corporation' of New Jersey Application February 26, 1949, Serial No. 78,488 sy claims. (ci. rsi-7.11)

1 This invention relates to cigar lighters f the pyrophoric type wherein the sparking Wheel is actuated by a ngerpiece to project sparks toward a wick or burner, and aims primarily to provide a lighter of the above character wherein the actuating mechanism is operable in the usual manner when the lighter is approximately in a position in which it is normally held during use, but will be eifectively locked against the production of sparks or a flame, when the' lighter from those in which the lighter usually will be held when a light is to be intentionally produced.

Further objects, features and advantagesV of the invention will be in part obvious and in' part specifically referred to in the description herein'- after contained, which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, discloses preferred forms of a lighter constructed to operate in accordance with the invention, the disclosure, however, should be considered merely illustrative of the principles of the invention in its broader aspects.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with certain parts out away, of a cigar lighter having a locking mechanism` constructed to operate in accordance with one form of the invention;

Fig. 2" is a fragmentary View showing the lighter of Fig. 1 in an inverted position wherein the locking mechanism is in itsactive locking position;

Fig. 3` is a side elevation, with certain parts out. away, of a cigar lighter having a locking mecha-v nism of modied form, constructedv to operate" in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the locking mechanism of Fig. 3 in its active locking position.

In accordance with the invention, lockingxl means are so positioned when the lighter is in its.; normal upright position as to allow the lighter to general construction, having a fuel casing 5` from which protrudes a Wick tube 6, which alsoserves as a seat for a snuier 1 rotatably mounted on an axle 8, the latter also carrying a sparkingl Wheel 9. A reciprocable ngerpiece IIJ having a 'l0 is held in other positions deviating substantially plunger I I iied thereto is normally urgecttoward its upper idleY positionl shown in Fig. 1 by a com' pression spring? I2 disposed within asuitable guide shell I3 extending upwardly through the top wallv ofthe casing 5 and providedwith: an annular lipV I3' to hold it in position. WhenV the ngerpiece I0 is depressed, sparking wheel S is rotated (by mechanism well knownf in theart and therefore not shown or described in detail) to projectsparks onto a wick carried by the wick tube 6 and simultaneously therewith, the snuffel- 'l is caused'toswing upwa-rdlytoexpose thev wick to the projected sparks. Uponthe release of pressure on the iingerpie'cer I0; the spring I2 re'- storesy it to the idle position shown in* Fig'. 1', the sparking wheel 9' usually being freed from connection with thengerp'iece during'thisstage of movement. Since various forms of lighters ofthe construction and' mode of operation as thus far described areV well known in the art to which the' invention pertains, the same will not be described in greater detail herein.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs.

1- and 2, the locking mechanism above referred to comprises a plurality of balls I4' and a movably mounted sleeve I5, on which thel balls restl when in non-locking position, the sleeve I5 beingr inter-- posed between an enclosing barrel I6` and av central guide I'I within which the reduced portion I8 of Ythe plunger is received. As can be seen from' Fig. 1, when the lighter is disposed in an uprig'ght position with the burner member orwick tube' 6 upwardly' directed, as will usually bei the casewhen a light is` desired,- th'erngerpiece IIl may be depressed to produce a light in the usual Way, the balls I4 being, underV such conditions, clear' of the path" of movement of plunger I'I. However, if the lighter be tilted substantially toward anv inverted position, asy shown in Figi.v 2r

the' balls I4 will shift under the influence of gravity to a position wherein they are alined with a shoulder |9 on the plunger I I formed by the reduced portion I8 thereof. Further, as the lighter approaches an: inverted position; the

the balls I4 will also move under the influence of 3 gravity out of line with the shoulder I9 on the plunger and back into the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby releasing the locking mechanism so that the lighter may be actuated in the usual way.

As shown in Fig. 1, the upper edge of sleeve l5 is preferably beveled as at 23 and the upper edge of guide IT is beveled as at 24, to facilitate the above-described movements of balls l 4.

In Figs. 3 and 4, another form of the invention is illustrated as applied to a lighter of well known general construction, having a fuel casing 5' on which is mounted a reciprocable ngerpiece I0' adapted upon depression thereof to actuate a sparking wheel 9 rotatably mounted upon an axle 8' as heretofore described. In this form of the invention, the locking means comprises a plurality of balls freely disposed within a A pocket in the bottom of the plunger guide 26, Fig. 3. Thus, when the lighter is in the normal position for use, as shown in Fig. 3, thengerpiece and plunger 21 fixed thereto may be depressed against the action of spring 28 to actuate the sparking wheel 9', the iingerpiece thereafter being restored to its idle position. by spring 28, supported at its lower extremity by a washer 30 which in turn is supported on an annular shoulder 26' on the inside of the plunger guide 26. As the lighter is moved toward the inverted position shown in Fig. 4, one or more of the balls 25 will fall under the influence of gravity into position between the reduced end 29 of plunger 2l and a shoulder 3| on the inner surface of the plunger guide 26, the space between the reduced end 29 of the plunger and the shoulder 3l being of such a size that the balls I4 may not be forced out of plunger locking position when inward pressure is applied to the fmgerpiece. Thus, the actuating mechanism of the lighter is locked against spark or flame producing movement, so long as the lighter is in a position approaching the fully inverted position shown in Fig. 4. If the lighter be moved from the position shown in Fig. 4 toward that shown in Fig. 3, the balls 25 will fall under the influence of gravity of locking position between the end of the plunger and shoulder 3| into the position shown in Fig. 3, thus releasing the actuating mechanism of the lighter for operation in the usual way.

Thus the locking mechanism is set automatically to prevent the production of sparks and ignition of the fuel, whenever the lighter assumes a position deviating substantially from a normal operating position in which it will usually be held for lighting purposes.

While the invention has been disclosed as carried out by lighters of the above-described specific constructions, it should be understood that changes may be made therein without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

l. A cigar lighter of the class described having a fuel casing, a sparking wheel mounted thereon, a burner member adjacent said sparking wheel, a manually operable ngerpiece mounted on said casing, means mounting said ngerpiece to move between idle and active positions, mechanism coupling said flngerpiece and sparking wheel to rotate the latter when said ngerpiece is manually operated to move from idle toward active position, a locking member freely carried by said casing for movement between positions wherein the fingerpiece is freed for movement from idle toward active position when said burner member is upwardly directed and wherein said fingerpiece is locked against movement from idle toward active position when said burner member is downwardly directed, and a gravity controlled member mounted to move between positions wherein it respectively malntains said locking member in its locking position when said burner member is downwardly directed and wherein it releases said locking member from its locking position when said burner member is upwardly directed.

2. A cigar lighter of the class described having a fuel casing, a sparking wheel mounted thereon, a burner member adjacent said sparking wheel, a manually depressible fingerpiece carried on said casing and having a guide plunger, means for mounting said ngerpiece including said plunger to move between idle and active positions, mechanism interconnecting said ngerpiece with said sparking wheel to actuate the latter upon movement of said ngerpiece and plunger from idle toward active position, a plurality of balls movably carried within said casing and mounted to move into a position clear of said plunger when said burner member is upwardly directed, and into the path of movement of said plunger when said burner member is downwardly directed thereby to prevent movement of said ngerpiece toward active position, and a gravity controlled member mounted to move between positions wherein it respectively maintains said plurality of balls in the path of movement of said plunger when said burner member is downwardly directed and wherein it releases said plurality of balls for movement into a position clear of the plunger when the burner member is upwardly directed.

3. A cigar lighter of the class described having a fuel casing, a sparking wheel mounted thereon, a burner member adjacent said sparking wheel, a manually operable finger piece, carried on said casing and having a guide plunger, means for mounting said finger piece including said plunger to move between idle and active positions, mechanism interconnecting said finger piece with said sparking wheel to actuate the latter upon movement of said finger piece and plunger from idle toward active position, a stop member, and a locking member movable by gravity into a position clear of said plunger when said burner member is upwardly directed and being movable by gravity into the path of movement of said plunger and between said plunger and said stop member when said burner member is downwardly directed thereby to prevent movement of said finger piece toward active position.

RAY L. BURCHETT. WARREN I. NISSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS 

